luciernaga

I have received different responses from programs, but most seem to want you to come in with a solid foundation in at least 1 modern language, preferably German. It sounds as though your preparation in German, French, and Modern Hebrew are quite competitive - I wouldn't worry about it. For what it's worth, I have no preparation in French or German, but I have done extensive coursework in Modern Hebrew. However, I agree with jdmhotness that a strong background in Modern Hebrew is unusual in HB/OT. This lack of German is one of the bigger weaknesses of my application. Some programs allow you to use Modern Hebrew as a research language in place of French, while others insist on German and French and see Modern Hebrew as an added bonus. Given the heavy ancient language requirements in HB, I hope to get by with Modern Hebrew and German (which I will begin to address this summer) and just not worry about French. Several programs I have spoken with have been receptive to this idea. German, however, is always essential in HB. As the old joke goes, "what's the most important semitic language? German." Another thing - I have heard from some professors that while language preparation is very important in HB, there are many other factors that are just as important, if not more so. Committees want to know that we have good writing skills, familiarity with the field, and originality of thought. They want to know that we can handle a heavy language-based courseload, not that we have necessarily studied x number of languages. I wish both of us luck this application season.

Based on the results list from previous years, this seems quite early for Duke to be sending out interview information.